A. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to card games useful for playing in casinos, cardrooms and other card game locations. More specifically, this invention relates to chance card games that are bingo-like in nature and which require the participant to match cards with cards or numbers selected by the dealer.
B. Background
Many different types of card games are played throughout the world. Some of these games are specifically designed to be played in a casino or cardroom location whereby the participant attempts to win money, most often designated by playing chips, and the casino or cardroom makes money off each game or hand that is played. The most common of these types of games are Poker and Blackjack, which are both played with one or more decks of standard playing cards. For many people, however, these and other casino and cardroom card games can be very intimidating due to the complexities of the rules or the need to have a certain level of skill in order to have a realistic chance of winning. As a result, many people do not participate in these types of card games at all.
In contrast to the above-mentioned card games, many people participate in lottery draws, bingo games and the like where the chances of winning are not dependent upon skill and knowledge of the game. Many people prefer these types of games because they provide every participant with an equal chance of winning, notwithstanding the differences between the participants with regard to skill and knowledge. In particular, bingo games have become very popular as a form of entertainment and a way for persons without much background or experience in card games to play games of chance.
Generally, games involving primarily chance, such as bingo games, are not played at casinos and cardrooms. In part, this is due to the set-up of the bingo games, which generally require each player to have a bingo card, a caller to call out the numbers and a machine or other device to generate the numbers which are matched on the bingo cards. However, it would benefit casinos and cardrooms to offer a bingo-type card game to attract persons not interested in or capable of playing the more skill and knowledge orientated card games, including those persons who are the partners of persons playing the more difficult games. As a result, the number of participants and, therefore, the income for the casino or cardroom could increase.
One such game, patented as U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,577 to Preston, is referred to as Bingo Poker or the like. As played, this game utilizes two decks of standard playing cards (52 cards comprising four suits with thirteen cards in each suit) and is generally played with ten players. Each player antes four chips into the center of the table and the dealer deals three cards to each player from a mixed deck of cards. Each hand is ranked by standard poker rules and the highest ranked hand is designated as such. From a second standard deck of cards, which by its nature matches the first deck of cards, the dealer begins turning over cards one card at a time. If the number or value (i.e., face cards) of one of the dealer's cards matches the number or value of one of the player's cards, the dealer places one of the chips from the ante pot on top of that card. The dealer then continues turning over cards from the dealer's deck until one of the players has a chip on each of his or her three cards or until the dealer turns over nine cards. If after nine cards have been played by the dealer none of the player's have a chip on each of their cards, the player with the designated highest poker hand wins the chips remaining in the ante.
Several limitations exist with regard to the game as described and played pursuant to the Preston patent. One major limitation is on the limited amount of involvement by the player. In that game, the only activity for the player is to turn over his or her cards. All the rest is performed by the dealer, including placing the chip on the cards. Another limitation is that by utilizing a standard deck of cards (52 cards), there will generally be a substantial number of cards not played and for which there will be no matches, which creates the need to rank the cards by poker rules to speed the game up and make it interesting. There exists a need for a card game based on the concept of bingo-type matching that utilizes player participation, limited excess cards and which is compatible with standard poker tables.